The Brain Film Fest, held from 13 to 17 March 2024 at the CCCB in Barcelona, honoured Chilean director and producer Maite Alberdi with the Special Film Fest Award 2024. The festival, promoted by the Foundation, recognised Alberdi’s sensitive portrayal of ageing and brain-related issues through her empathetic and insightful filmmaking.

Endowed with 1.6 million euros, the second call for proposals for the Pasqual Maragall Researchers Programme (PMRP) promotes excellence in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative disease research. The selected projects, led by Dr Silvia De Santis (CSIC-UMH) and Dr Alberto Rábano (CIEN), open new avenues to improve the diagnosis and understanding of these pathologies.

This initiative, involving the posting of video interviews every two months during 2024, aims to educate the general public on the studies, projects and lines of research of the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center. This initiative brings scientific content to the public at large, offering it in an informative format in a language that is easy to understand for all types of audiences.

Held online and welcoming nearly 1,500 participants, the fifth edition of the lecture series offered a scientific perspective on the impact of the disease on women and how people with Alzheimer's can be cognitively stimulated at home.

Marking its tenth anniversary, the Alfa Study stands as one of the largest and most comprehensive cohorts, comprising nearly 2,700 participants. Over the past decade, it has achieved ground-breaking results in identifying Alzheimer's disease at its earliest stages and developing prevention programmes aimed at delaying or halting the onset of symptoms.

In collaboration with the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, our research center, the BBRC, finds that the regular consumption of omega-3 rich foods, both from plant and marine sources, could be crucial in preventing Alzheimer's disease.

As part of a multilateral collaborative project led by our research center (BBRC), we have been able to detect decreased blood flow in the brain during the early stages of the disease. This finding represents one of the principal conclusions of the study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

Once again, this time with the initiative entitled “La recerca en Alzheimer té nom i cognom”, we commemorate this day by focusing on members of our research team who work daily to bring us closer to our mission: to live in a world without Alzheimer's.

Our research center has created cerebral organoids that mimic the function of a real brain, also known as “mini-brains”, made from stem cells that allow researchers to simulate the development of the disease and explore in detail the factors that contribute to its onset and progression.

The new Pasqual Maragall Foundation Ambassador Membership Programme offers our members the opportunity to participate directly in the day-to-day running of the organisation. Each year, select members can actively participate in various Foundation initiatives, including events, sports matches, and campaigns.

With six talks and approximately twenty posters, the BBRC participates in AAIC 2024, the world’s most influential congress on scientific advancements in Alzheimer's and other dementias. This event brought together research teams from around the globe to share the latest developments in their research with the international scientific community.

As part of the 7th Annual Meeting with our social base, held under the theme “La nova era de l’Alzheimer” (A new era in Alzheimer’s) and attended by more than 1,500 people, we present the third edition of the Diana Garrigosa Awards. This year, the awards honour the remarkable careers of Rosa Montero, journalist and writer, and Miguel Ríos, singer, both celebrated for their active and long-standing commitment to social values and rights.

With a fresh new design, our revamped website is now more intuitive, modern and accessible to everyone. This update further serves to reflect our commitment to Alzheimer's research, as well as to those affected by the disease and their families.

We launch the Alzheimer Barcelona Hub, a pioneering initiative driven by our commitment to advancing research and enhancing support for individuals and families affected by the disease. Backed by the Barcelona City Council, the Alzheimer Barcelona Hub brings together Hospital de Sant Pau, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Hospital del Mar and the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, along with our research center, the BBRC, and the Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona.

As part of our meetings with political representatives to raise awareness and highlight the challenges facing Alzheimer's research, we welcomed Her Majesty the Queen Doña Sofía and the President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Anna Erra. During their visit, they toured our facilities to learn about our social and scientific work.

In collaboration with the Barcelona Provincial Council, we have developed a new guide for family members taking care of individuals with Alzheimer's. This guide will address caregivers’ concerns, including understanding symptoms, providing care, managing change, navigating the grieving process, and ensuring legal protection, among other topics.

On the occasion of the Parliament of Catalonia elections on 12 May, we are joining forces with the Ace Alzheimer Center, the Association of Relatives of People with Alzheimer's and Other Dementias of Barcelona (AFAB), the Alzheimer Catalonia Foundation and the Uszheimer Foundation to call for dementia to be prioritised in public policy, advocating for a National Agreement on Alzheimer's and Dementias.

To support our ongoing expansion and adapt to the evolving social and research landscape, we are pleased to appoint Glòria Oliver as Deputy General Director following her tenure as Manager since the Foundation’s inception. Additionally, Dr Josep Maria Argimon, our current Director of Scientific Infrastructures, has been appointed Director of Relations with the Health System to further promote this key area.

Building on research led by our research center and published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, we have demonstrated the reliability of the Centiloid scale for quantifying amyloid plaques in the brain, a key hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

As part of the Alzheimer’s Observatory, an initiative led by our Foundation in collaboration with key organisations and experts from the scientific, health, and social sectors, we present this report to the Ministry of Health. It aims to advance a model for a comprehensive approach to Alzheimer's and other dementias.

We offer support to more than 300 individuals through our online and in-person support programmes for caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer's.

In 2024, we organised several informational conferences across the region to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and its prevention, while addressing any questions regarding this form of dementia and its broader context. This year, we have offered a total of 50 talks nationwide.

The Foundation closes the “The Biggest Lie About Alzheimer's” campaign on a high note, raising €373,795 through charitable donations. The funds will support the Beta-AARC study at the Barcelonaßeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), which focuses on investigating biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease.